The Girl Next Door
by Treacle
Summary: (AU) When Kagome moves into the house of her dead 'step-sister' Kikyou, she meets her eccentric, dog-eared next door neighbor along with the other neighborhood residents. But how is a girl supposed to live among a bunch of grumpy demons?!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own none of Rumiko Takahashi's works.

A/N: Ah, finally I write a fic that ISN'T a one-shot!  ^_^; I felt the need to write another Inu-Yasha fic, since it's such a great anime!  And if you haven't already guessed, this IS an AU…..kind of.  Note: the Bone Eater's Well DOES exist in this fic.  The prologue doesn't explain everything, but you'll find out more in the chapters to come!  ^_^ Enjoy the fic!

**Prologue**

"Kikyou...is dead?" Inu-Yasha refused to believe the strange man that had come to his door early that morning.  It couldn't be true…could it?

"Yes sir," said the policeman. "We found her dead in her backyard this morning.  As her next door neighbor, I thought you should know."__

"But h-how?  How did she die?!" Inu-Yasha gaped at the man.  

"Murdered."

_'Murdered?  Kikyou couldn't have been murdered!  She's too strong to die...isn't she?'_ Inu-Yasha thought.

"By _WHO_?!" Inu-Yasha grabbed the man by the collar and shook him. "TELL ME!"

"There is no need to get violent sir-"

"TELL ME, DAMNIT!"

"We don't know.  The murderer was already gone, and they left behind no clues..."

That was the last thing Inu-Yasha needed to hear.  With one swift kick, he sent the man flying across the driveway, skidding on the pavement along the way.  Inu-Yasha didn't care if he was alive or not.  

Inu-Yasha ran into his backyard and climbed up the only tree in the neighborhood.  It was his tree; and it was truly ancient.  It existed in his own time as well.  "People had dubbed it Goshinboku" or the "Old God Tree".  He only climbed it when he needed time alone...and right now, he wanted to be alone for eternity.  

The rest of the neighborhood would know eventually.  Would they blame him for not being there to protect Kikyou?  Frankly, he didn't care.  But the truth was, he HAD promised to protect her.

_'How could this have happened?'_ The pain in his heart was unbearable.  His whole body felt numb.  

He had lost his only love, and his only chance of breaking the seal on the Bone Eater's Well.  The link between the two worlds would never be usable again, unless Kikyou somehow came back to life.  But that was impossible, and Inu-Yasha knew that.  He was stuck in the Modern Day.  Being one of the only demons in the entire world for the rest of his life…he couldn't bear the thought.

"Kikyou…" 

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_It would be nice if we could throw away_

_Everything except what really matters_

_But reality is just cruel._

_In such times,_

_I see you laughing_

_Whenever I close my eyes._

_Until the day I reach eternal sleep,_

_That smiling face will_

_Be there forever._

_People forget and move on, but-_

_For that which I should love_

_For that which gives me love_

_I will do what I can_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome Higurashi sat in her bedroom, reading a magazine.  Usually, she would be doing homework, but it was the summertime and she was free to relax.   She stroked Buyo's soft fur, and he rolled over lazily.

"Kagome-chan, can I come in?" Mrs. Higurashi knocked on the door.  Her voice sounded distressed.

"Huh? Oh, sure mom..." Kagome replied absentmindedly, still reading her magazine.

Her mom walked in.  The expression on her face told Kagome something was wrong.

"Kikyou is dead," her mom told her. "As her only living relatives, we will move into her house."

"S-she's dead?!  We're moving into her house?!  WHEN?" Kagome hadn't expected to hear this.  Her dad had died not too long ago.  And now her stepsister was dead!?  Unbelievable!

"In one month."

"And where exactly are we moving to?"

"They say the neighborhood is called 'Sengoku Jidai'."

A/N: There wasn't any humor in this chapter, because it was mainly focusing on Kikyou's death (and the Kikyou fans would probably flame me if I made Kikyou's death humorous ^_^;).  Note: The first two chapters of my fic are mainly about explaining the plot, therefore there will be no humor until after Kagome meets Inu-Yasha.  Perhaps this chapter was a little confusing...more will be explained in the next chapter.  Review!  Pleeaaase!  Next chap: Kagome moves into her new home and meets her grumpy next-door-neighbor. ^_~


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

A/N: This chapter mainly focuses on Kagome, but there _will_ be chapters focusing on Inu-Yasha, eventually.  ^_~

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha or any of Rumiko Takahashi's characters.

_'Just our luck…'_ thought Kagome as she stared glumly at the dreary landscape outside the window of the moving truck. _'Moving day comes and it just HAPPENS to be on the only rainy day we've had this year!'_

The black-haired school girl wasn't in the best of moods today...and who could blame her?  Three hours of sitting wedged in between Grandpa, who smelled strongly of sake and last night's fried noodles, and Souta, who had been playing his Game Boy ever since the Higurashi's had left their old house a few hours ago.

"So, mom…why IS our new neighborhood called Sengoku Jidai anyway?" Kagome asked.  She hoped her own voice would drown out the sound of Souta's annoying Game Boy music.

"Well, sweetie...the houses are designed to look like they did during the Feudal Era, so that people who visit the neighborhood would get an idea of what the houses looked like back then…" said Mrs. Higurashi, who was driving the giant Penske truck, filled with the Higurashi's furniture and household items, Grandpa's useless ancient artifacts, Kagome's school desk, and box upon box of Souta's toys.  

"Does that mean...we have to DRESS like they did back then too, mom?!"

"Well...most of the neighborhood residents dress in kimonos to maintain the "ancient" feeling…" Mrs. Higurashi said, while still keeping her eyes on the road.

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing.  

"Why couldn't Kikyou have lived in a NORMAL neighborhood?!  Why do WE have to inherit her house?!"

"Kagome-chan!  You shouldn't ask such questions…you already know we're Kikyou's only living relatives!  Her sister Kaede passed away also, shortly after Kikyou died."

That certainly didn't improve Kagome's mood.  Kagome had always thought of Kikyou as a "wicked stepsister," like in the fairy tales she read when she was little.  Kagome had only met her once, and although she had tried to be friendly, Kikyou didn't seem to like her at all.

What had happened was that Mrs. Higurashi had divorced Kagome's father five years ago, after learning that he had ANOTHER daughter.  And that daughter's name was Kikyou.  

Kikyou's mother was a sickly woman, and after she died, Mr. Higurashi had to raise his daughter alone...but unfortunately, Mr. Higurashi died in a car accident on his way home from work one day, and Kikyou was forced to take care of herself and her younger sister Kaede.  

One day, Kikyou was in her back yard hanging clothes on the clothesline, when she was stabbed to death.  By the time the police came, Kikyou was dead and her murderer was long gone.  Kaede had already died a short while before Kikyou did, and Kikyou's murderer was never found.

_'They must have had really bad luck…'_ thought Kagome. _'The whole family died within five short years!'_

Kagome shuddered.  And now it was _her_ family who was going to live in their house.

"We're here!" Souta's voice broke through Kagome's thoughts, making her jump slightly.

As Mrs. Higurashi slowly turned the truck into the cobblestone driveway, Kagome examined the house.  It definitely looked like it could fit right into Ancient Japan.  A low rooftop curved upward at the bottom, giving it an artistic look.  Sliding panel doors, and even a small stream of water running through the back yard added to the beauty.  And the old well in the back yard made the house look centuries old.

_'You can't even tell some one died here…'_ Kagome thought to herself, staring wide-eyed at her new house.

The truck stopped moving and Kagome jumped out of the car, thankful that she didn't have to sit next to Souta and Grandpa anymore.  

"Why don't you two have a look around while Grandpa and I unload the truck?" Mrs. Higurashi said.

Souta ran towards the back yard to examine the stream and the old well, as Kagome looked at the other houses around her.

"They all look pretty much the same…" Kagome thought aloud.

All the houses had the same design, and the only thing that made them different from each other was the different colors they were painted.  Some of the houses were red in color (as was her own house), some were beige, and some were gray.

Kagome looked at the beige house on the right side of her own house.  She wondered what her neighbors would be like...she hoped they were friendly.  

Kagome stepped closer to the beige house and peeked through the window, hoping someone was home.  The house was pretty dark, and there was no car in the driveway.

"That's strange..." Kagome said, peering into the house. "It looks like nobody's home, but it's only 9:00 in the morning!"

Just as she was about to go back to her own house, a young man came walking towards her from his backyard...at least she thought it was a man.  He had a long, tangled, silver mane...and were those dog-ears on his head?!  

Kagome rubbed her eyes. _'I must be imagining things.'_

"Whadd'ya want?!" growled the man, walking towards Kagome.

Kagome just stared at him wide-eyed.  She'd never seen a person that looked like THIS before...golden eyes glared back at her suspiciously.  Up close, she noticed that the guy looked about her age.  His hair was an odd silver-white color, and Kagome guessed that he must have dyed it.  And on his head?  Indeed there were two fuzzy white dog-ears.  They wiggled back and forth impatiently.

"Those ears..." Kagome gasped, looking at the dog-ears. "Are they…real??"

This seemed to irritate the man even more.  

"Of course they're real, you stupid girl!  And I'd APPRECIATE it if you didn't touch them!"

Too late.  Kagome couldn't help herself.  She'd never seen a person with dog ears!  She wondered if the guy had gotten them surgically implanted in his head or something.  She wiggled the ears back and forth, and rubbed them. 

 The man looked surprised for a second, but then his face turned into a grumpy scowl again.  His ears wiggled back and forth rapidly.

Kagome giggled.  _'I think I've tormented the poor guy enough,'_ she thought. _'I should really introduce myself!'_

"I'm Higurashi Kagome!" she exclaimed, pulling back her hands from his ears. "I just moved in next door!"

The man stared at her, as if he had only just noticed her a second ago.  His mouth hung wide-open as he examined her, making Kagome feel a bit self-conscious.  A mix of sadness and disbelief shone in the man's golden eyes. _'What's **wrong **with him?' _Kagome wondered

"**_K-kikyou_**?!"

"Kikyou?  Didn't I just say my name was Kagome?!  Ugh!"  Kagome had a feeling that this man just _might've_ been Kikyou's boyfriend at one time.

"B-but you look just like her!"

"I'm kind of related to her, okay?!" Kagome hated it when people called her Kikyou.  True, the two girls DID look similar, considering they shared the same father, but Kagome hated being mistaken for someone else.

"Talk about rude!" Kagome rambled on. "You could AT LEAST introduce yourself instead of gawking at me like an idiot!"

This seemed to get the man's attention.  His expression turned from bewilderment to a scowl once again.

"FEH!  I'm Inu-Yasha, okay?!  There!  I've introduced myself!  And it was _you_ who was staring at me like an idiot a just few minutes ago, if I remember correctly, wench!"

"So are the other people around here as "friendly" as you?" Kagome asked, glaring at Inu-Yasha.

"Hmph!  If you think I'M unfriendly, you should try getting to know my brother!" Inu-Yasha said, pointing at gray-colored house across the street from Kagome. 

"Well ANYONE'S more friendly than _you_ I'm sure!" Kagome replied.

"Not Sesshoumaru!  You'll be lucky if he doesn't kill you.  He hates humans!" Inu-Yasha spat as he glared scornfully at Sesshoumaru's house.  

"Humans?" Kagome was getting very confused. "What do you mean? We're all _humans_!"

"Damnit, wench!  Didn't you know that some of us here are youkai?!  Gah…you're even denser than I thought you were…"

"_Y_-_youkai_?  Get real!" Kagome wouldn't let Inu-Yasha make a fool out of her.  Just who did he think he was?  Did he really think she was stupid enough to believe that?

"Of _course_ we're youkai!  Didn't you know that there were tons of demons in the Feudal Era?" Inu-Yasha talked as if everyone else in the world knew that except Kagome.

"Well...there _are_ legends about that, but I didn't know they were true!  And even if they ARE true, there's no way a demon could be here!  The Feudal Era was such a long time ago, there's no way you could've survived that long!" Kagome looked closely at Inu-Yasha, and secretly noted that he _did _fit the description of the demons in the legends. _'Could he be telling the truth?'_

"You really are clueless, aren't you, wench?!  Don't you know that Kikyou died guarding the well in your backyard?  It's a time portal!  If you jump through the well, you'll find yourself in the Feudal Era." 

"Y-you're kidding, right?" Kagome had trouble taking all this in at once.  _'This is WAY too weird to be true.'_

"All of the people in this neighborhood are from the real Sengoku Jidai, although you're probably the only one who knows about it.  Some of us came through the well, curious to see what this new world was like.  We thought there would be demons here as well, but we were mistaken.  We decided to stay in this new world; we had no idea it was entirely populated by humans.  Before we realized our mistake, Kikyou, who was a priestess in our time, had sealed off the Bone Eater's Well with her powers to prevent any more youkai from coming into this world.  When we told Kikyou that we wanted to go back to our own time, she said she wouldn't be able to break the seal until 50 years had passed.  Apparentely, some idiot got impatient and thought they could break the seal themselves, so they killed Kikyou and tried to break the seal.  Didn't work, obviously, so now we're stuck here."

"Kikyou's…a MIKO from the Feudal Era?!  I thought she was my stepsister!" Kagome felt like she was going to faint.

"Stepsister?!  Where'd ya hear that?"

"My dad told me…"

"Well that's probably 'cuz your dad didn't want you to know that his other wife was from the Feudal Era…" Inu-Yasha snorted.

"S-she WAS?!  So is he not Kikyou's REAL father, then?!"

"Nope.  Kikyou's real father never came to the Modern Day.  He was killed by a demon…I witnessed it."

"So that means…"

"Yep.  Kikyou's from the Feudal Era too."

"Then why do I look like Kikyou?!  I'm not…I'm not from the Feudal Era too, am I?!"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Inu-Yasha was silent for a couple minutes while he thought about it. "Maybe…just maybe…you're her reincarnation.  Even though Kikyou came through the well and died here, she's actually from a whole different time period…meaning you COULD be her reincarnation!"

"N-no way…" Kagome really felt close to fainting now.  She was starting to feel dizzy.  "I must be dreaming…this can't be real!"

"Feh!  Even if you ARE Kikyou's reincarnation, you don't look half as strong as she was!  And stop askin' me questions, girl!  I'm tired of watchin' you look like you're gonna faint or somethin'.  Go back to your house and sit down or whatever," Inu-Yasha started to turn towards his house, but he stopped for a second and turned back to Kagome. "By the way, welcome to the neighborhood...I guess." With that, he grunted and stepped into his house.

Kagome stood outside at the same spot she had been for the past ten minutes.  Her heart had practically stopped beating, she was sure of it.  She couldn't feel her legs.  So she just stood there trying to register all of the information.

"I'm Kikyou's _reincarnation_?!  And…no way…I'm living in a neighborhood of people from the Feudal Era?!"

A/N: Sorry there wasn't much humor in this chapter!  It was mostly for explaining exactly what was going on.  ^_^; But there _will_ be humor in the next chapter!  BY THE WAY, I'll really try to get the next chapter up by Saturday, but if I don't, then I'll post the next chapter in about three weeks.  I'm going to Singapore (and I'm stopping in Japan!  ^^) for Chinese New Year and my 14th Birthday.  Wish me luck!  It's a 21-hour flight, AND I have to sit in economy class seats!  *dies* Anyways, PLEASE review my fic!  Next chapter: Kagome introduces herself to various neighbors...and finds out that there ARE people even more unfriendly than Inu-Yasha.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

A/N: I'm really glad you guys liked the last chapter!  ^^ I REALLY appreciate all the reviews!  It's what keeps me writing…so keep on reviewing, ne?  By the way, part of this chapter focuses on Inu-Yasha and part of it focuses on Kagome.  

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this fanfic.  They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi (and so does the anime "Ranma ½" which is also mentioned in this chapter)! 

Inu-Yasha stepped into his house and slammed the door hard behind him, hoping that his strange new neighbor would get the message and leave him alone.  _'I wonder if ALL humans of this era are as annoying as she is…'_

Even though the house looked ancient on the outside, everything was pretty modern on the inside.  The family room was near the kitchen, so one wouldn't have to walk very far if they wanted a beer to drink while watching a football game.  There was a medium-sized, flat screen TV in the family room, and a glass coffee table placed strategically in front of a cushy sofa. 

The hanyou sat on the couch and turned on the TV lazily.  He flipped the channel…another soap opera.  These stupid human shows made Inu-Yasha want to gag.  He turned the channel again.  This time it was a baseball game.  A man hit a ball with a metal stick and ran around the field until he reached the place where he had first started.  The crowd went wild.

"Hmph!  What's so great about that?" scoffed Inu-Yasha. "I could've run ten times faster!  They call THIS entertainment?!"

Finally, Inu-Yasha settled for an animated show called "Ranma ½".  It seemed to be the closest thing to 'entertainment' that Inu-Yasha could find.  Inu-Yasha smirked as a shorthaired girl chased some guy across the screen, yelling at him loudly.  The panda at the kitchen table blinked at them, and every once and awhile, a cat and a duck could be seen darting back and forth in the background.  The fact that Inu-Yasha couldn't make sense of any of it is what made the show so amusing.

An hour later, Inu-Yasha grew tired of watching TV, and decided to raid the fridge instead.  Just as he was about to make himself some ramen noodles, he heard someone knocking on the door.

"NO ONE'S HERE!" Inu-Yasha yelled at the door.  

The person knocked again. _'Could it be Kagome again?!' _Inu-Yasha wondered. 

The girl Kagome was still a puzzle to him.  She reminded him so much of Kikyou…but was she really her reincarnation?  The thought was so bizarre, he wasn't even sure if it was true.  '_But she IS as beautiful as Kikyou was…her eyes are the same shade of brown, but her expression is more compassionate…' _Inu-Yasha shook his head back and forth, suddenly. _'I did NOT just think that…'_

"Is anybody home??" A voice yelled from outside the house. "I know you're in there, Inu-Yasha!" Yeah, it was Kagome all right.

"Alright, ALRIGHT, I'm coming!" Inu-Yasha grumbled as shoved the ramen back into the kitchen cabinet.  _'That stupid woman!'_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome waited impatiently for Inu-Yasha to open the door.  _'I've been waiting for five minutes!' _she thought angrily. '_Is he ignoring me?!'_

Finally, the door opened a bit, giving Kagome a view of the inside of Inu-Yasha's house.  _'Well at least their houses don't look ancient on the INSIDE, too…' _Kagome thought.

"What NOW?!" shouted Inu-Yasha, still wearing the red kimono and grumpy expression that Kagome had seen him in last time. 

"It's about time you answered the door!  You're so rude!  If someone's at the door, you're supposed to LET THEM IN!" Kagome fumed, averting her eyes from the house, to Inu-Yasha.

"Why should I let YOU in?!  Haven't you bothered me enough?" growled Inu-Yasha.

"I just wanted to ask you a _few_ more questions!" Kagome said, turning back into her normal, cheerful self.  Without saying another word, she marched into Inu-Yasha's house and seated herself comfortably on the sofa. 

"H-hey!  WAITAMINUTE!  You can't just invite yourself into other people's houses!" a dumbfounded Inu-Yasha exclaimed.

"Well, since YOU wouldn't invite me in, I invited myself in!" the girl on the couch grinned.

"UGH!  Why're you so damn annoying?!  FINE.  I'll listen to your stupid questions!  Just as long as you get outta my house right after that!"

"Okay, okay, I will!  Geez…are you always this cranky?"

"JUST GET ON WITH THE QUESTIONS!"

"Well…I've decided to introduce myself to all of my neighbors, but first, I wanted to ask you if you were serious when you said your brother likes to…kill humans." Kagome gulped.  

"He's my _HALF-_brother," Inu-Yasha corrected her. "And he doesn't just kill humans, either…he told me once that he eats them too…"

Kagome turned green.

"Maybe I could…change his mind about that," Kagome said nervously. "So he doesn't kill…or eat my family."

"Hmph.  You can try, but be careful, alright?  He's not exactly the nicest of people…"

"Alright," Kagome smiled. _'So he DOES care about others…kind of...'_

Kagome turned around and walked out of Inu-Yasha's house.  She stared at Sesshoumaru's house across the street, wondering if she should risk introducing herself.  Then she noticed the house on the OTHER side of her own house.  The house was half-hidden in the numerous trees in her neighborhood, so she hadn't really noticed it before. _'I have ANOTHER next-door neighbor?  I can't believe I didn't notice earlier!'_

Kagome started walking towards the house hidden in the trees. _'Sesshoumaru can wait.'_

As Kagome stepped closer to the house, she noticed it was painted green to match the trees.

"No WONDER I didn't see it earlier!" Kagome exclaimed, knocking hard on the door. _'I really wish these houses had doorbells…"_

Kagome knocked on the door again.  She could hear lots of noise and music coming from the inside.  Were they having a party?  She hoped who-ever lived in the house would still hear her knocking.

About a minute later, the door opened, revealing a man…or was it a demon?  He had pointed ears, and had his hair tied up in a high ponytail.  Kagome also noticed that he had a long, brown tail and fang-like teeth.  Was he a wolf-youkai?  He was actually kind of attractive…in a scruffy sort of way.

"Hey, babe!  Are you the woman that just moved in next door?" the man asked.  

"Yes, actually!  My name is Higurashi Kagome…" Kagome's voice drifted off as she noticed the other men in the background, whom all seemed to be staring at her.  About twenty pairs of eyes stared at her curiously.  Kagome suddenly noticed that every single one of them was wearing fur…lots and lots of brown fur.  Kagome wondered how many animals they had to kill to make their clothes.

"My name's Kouga!  I'm glad you came, Kagome," answered the wolf demon. "I threw this party just for you-"

"No you didn't!" interrupted one of the many wolf demons behind Kouga.

"SHUT UP!" Kouga yelled at him.

"Um…nice to meet you too, Kouga-kun!" Kagome said, getting more uncomfortable by the second.  The twenty other wolf youkai seemed to have averted their gazes from Kagome's face, to the short green skirt of her school uniform.

"Hey, boss!  Hear that?  She called you Kouga-_kun_," said another wolf youkai.  The other men whistled loudly, and Kagome was beginning to feel severely agitated.

"Then it's settled!" Kouga exclaimed, turning around to face the men behind him.  "From now on, Kagome's MY woman!"

"Y-YOUR woman??" Kagome said astonished.  _'No!' _she thought. _'I don't want to be his woman!  But I won't tell him that…it'll probably really hurt his feelings.  But JUST because I called him Kouga-kun shouldn't mean I'm his woman, should it?  Maybe it's a wolf demon tradition or something…'_

"Yeah!  Don't you want to be my woman?  There isn't…someone ELSE, is there?"

"Well…no…" Should she lie?  Kagome looked again at the men behind Kouga.  She noticed some of them were drooling.  _'Ugh…anything to get out of here…' _

"Actually, yes…" Kagome said. "Yes, there is someone else.  See, I just met my OTHER next-door neighbor, Inu-Yasha, and-"

"What?!  You've already met dog turd?" Kouga's expression turned into one of dislike as he thought about Inu-Yasha. "Don't listen to anything HE says!  That stupid, arrogant mutt!  You'd be better off with me, Kagome!"

"Yes, well…I'd better be going!" Kagome said quickly, smiling at Kouga.  One of the other wolf youkai had somehow come up next to her, and he was coming awfully close. "I've gotta introduce myself to the other neighbors, so I'll see you later!"

"Right.  I'll see you around then, Kagome!" 

Kagome let out a sigh of relief as she stepped out of Kouga's house.  The guy was nice…but maybe a little TOO nice…

The schoolgirl walked back to her cobblestone driveway, and stared at the house across the street from her…Sesshoumaru's house.  She noticed a young girl, about five or six-years old, running in circles around a green toad youkai in the front yard.  _'If Sesshoumaru hates humans so much…why is there one running in his front yard?' _Kagome wondered, as she walked across the street towards the giant, gray house.  _'Maybe Inu-Yasha was exaggerating when he said Sesshoumaru hated humans.  How dare he make me worry like that!' _Kagome let out another long sigh of relief.  Maybe this guy wouldn't be so bad after all…

"Hello!" the little girl in the front yard greeted cheerfully, running towards Kagome. "I'm Rin!  Rin just saw you move in the house across the street!"

"Hi, Rin!" Kagome beamed at her.  "My name's Kagome!  Tell me…is this were Sesshoumaru lives?" 

"Rin go and ask Sesshoumaru-sama to come outside!" exclaimed Rin. "Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't have visitors very often!" 

_'What a sweet little girl!' _Kagome thought as she watched Rin run into the house. _'Her master can't REALLY be a bloodthirsty murderer, can he?'_

"Why do you want to talk to Sesshoumaru-sama, girl?!" the small toad youkai that was standing next to Rin asked her suddenly, his yellow eyes bulging out as he spoke.  "Rin is the one exception, but Sesshoumaru-sama hates all other humans!  Just go back to your own house of filthy _humans_…"

"Oh, we're filthy, are we?!" Kagome asked, stomping hard on the toad youkai's head.  She wouldn't be talked down by a demon almost four feet shorter than she was!

A few minutes later, Rin bounded outside again, followed by a tall youkai with long, shiny silver hair that seemed much better kept than Inu-Yasha's hair.  Sesshoumaru had red stripes, most likely demon marks, on his face and a crescent moon on his forehead.  He wore a kimono with a breastplate over it; there was also a long, white furry object on his shoulder.  Kagome's best guess was that its purpose was to enhance the exotic look of his outfit…either that or it was a common accessory in the Feudal Era.  Kagome noticed that he was wearing red eyeshadow as well.  Even though his face wasn't particularly feminine, one might describe him as such if they saw him front a distance.  All in all, he looked very remotely similar to Inu-Yasha.  The only features that made him looking like his half-brother, were his golden eyes and long, silver hair.

"What do you want?" Sesshoumaru asked, regarding her coldly.  "You had better have a good reason, because I, Sesshoumaru, will not be bothered by annoying human wenches often." The youkai glared down at her, as if she didn't even deserve to be in his presence. _'Who does this guy think he is?!' _Kagome thought angrily.

"Inu-Yasha was right about you!  You're as unfriendly as someone can get!  I JUST wanted to introduce myself, since I just moved into the house across the street!  I THOUGHT it was a NEIGHBORLY THING TO DO!  You don't have to act so cold!   I DIDN'T mean to interrupt whatever you were doing!  And by the way, my name is KAGOME…NOT 'annoying wench'! " Kagome realized she had said too much, when she noticed Sesshoumaru glaring daggers at her.

"So…you have met my worthless _half_-demon brother, have you, wench?  Heh…it's just like him…always befriending _humans_…just like our father."  Sesshoumaru sneered.

"Inu-Yasha's not a full youkai, then?  He's…a hanyou?" Kagome wondered if Inu-Yasha was ashamed that he was half-demon.  Maybe that was why he hadn't told her about it.

"Did the whelp not tell you?  Unlike the mother of I, Sesshoumaru, _his_ mother was human." 

"So what happened to his parents?" Kagome questioned.  She hadn't remembered seeing anyone else inside of Inu-Yasha's house.

"They are both dead," stated Sesshoumaru, his face expressionless as ever.  

"And what about your parents, Sesshoumaru?" 

"I am not obligated to tell such information to the likes of you.  Leave now, _wench_, before I kill you.  I have wasted valuable time speaking with you." And with that, Sesshoumaru turned and walked back into the house, his stumpy toad youkai servant following closely behind.  Rin stopped and waved 'farewell' to Kagome before skipping back into the house again.

Kagome stood on the green lawn, staring after the threesome.  

"Both of Inu-Yasha's parents are dead?  And he's a hanyou too?  He's…not full demon, but not full human either…the poor guy.  No wonder he seems so angry!" Kagome suddenly felt a great deal of sympathy for Inu-Yasha. _'Maybe I should be nicer to him from now on…'_

A/N: Well, I managed to post another chapter before I leave on my three-week trip to Singapore (which starts tomarrow)!  I'll be fourteen (my b-day's February 12th) when I post the next chapter!  ^_~ PLEASE review while I'm gone!  It'll make me really glad to know that I'll have some reviews when I come back.  Thanks so much!  

Next chapter: Kagome meets a certain monk and a youkai exterminator, and is relieved to see that there ARE some fellow humans in her neighborhood.  Also, Kagome finds out the hard way that some neighbors DON'T like visitors (It's a good thing she's not allergic to bee *cough*saimyoshou*cough* stings!  ^^;).


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A/N:  Hey everyone!  I'm back from Singapore, and I was soooo glad to see all the reviews I had gotten when I returned!  ^_^ Arigatou!!!  I had a great time celebrating Chinese New Year and my 14th b-day with my relatives…and now I'm loaded with all the money I got (to answer the question of the reviewer who asked if I was Singaporean, I was born in Singapore but now I live in the U.S. so I suppose I'm Singaporean…kinda. ;)! ^-^;  Anyways, I wrote almost all of this chapter in a notebook when I was in Singapore and I'm anticipating to see what kind of reviews I get!  Hope you enjoy this chapter!

After visiting the houses of Sesshoumaru and Kouga, Kagome was beginning to wonder if there were many other humans in her new neighborhood.  _'I KNOW there were humans in the Feudal Era, so why haven't I seen any yet?' _Kagome was beginning to worry.  Had all the humans in this neighborhood already been killed or maybe even _eaten _by the demons living here?  Kagome shuddered at the thought.

In search of some other humans, Kagome decided to meet the people living in the red house next to Sesshoumaru's…the only house in the whole neighborhood besides her own that had a car in the driveway.  Kagome assumed that demons didn't need cars, since they could probably run even faster than a car, anyway.

Kagome knocked on the burgundy-colored door.  She could hear voices and crashing noises coming from inside.

"HOUSHI-SAMA!  YOU STUPID PERVERT!" screamed a voice, seemingly belonging to a young woman.  More crashing sounds ensued, and when Kagome heard a thud on the ground she wasn't too alarmed…she supposed the guy deserved it.

After a series of angry mutterings came from inside the house, the door opened, revealing a girl that looked around Kagome's age.  She had long, black hair that was tied in a lose pony-tail with a white ribbon, and she wore a simple pink and white kimono with what looked like a green apron covering the bottom half. _'I've finally found another human my age!' _Kagome thought, relieved. _'And at least she doesn't look like the type who would threaten to kill me, like Sesshoumaru.'_

"Hello," the girl smiled amiably. "You must be the girl that moved into Kikyou's old house, correct?  My name is Sango."

"Yup, I'm the new girl!  My name is Kagome!  Pleased to meet you, Sango!  Um…is everything alright in there?" Kagome asked, peering into the house.  She looked around for the source of the thud she had heard, and sure enough, there was a man sprawled out on the floor.

"Don't be alarmed," Sango said, following Kagome's gaze.  "I knocked him in the head pretty hard, but he should be up in a few minutes…he deserved what he got."

"Who IS he, anyway?" Kagome eyed the man on the floor wearily.

The man had short black hair, tied in a small ponytail at the back of his head.  He appeared to be a monk, for he possessed a staff.  He wore purple and black robes, and his right hand was covered with a glove and some prayer beads.  Kagome wondered what their purposes were.

"His name is Miroku," said Sango, letting Kagome into the house, and closing the door behind them.  "He says he's a monk, but he has very few morals.  Don't be surprised if he does something lecherous while you're here...just hit him a few times, and he should stop for a while."

"So do you two both live here?" Kagome questioned, looking around the house.  The floor was littered with weapons and armor that seemed to be made out of demon parts.

"No, but for some reason he keeps inviting himself over," Sango sighed. "Even though he's a total pervert, I enjoy his company.  I have no family, so I don't get visitors very often."

"Oh…" Kagome looked at Sango sympathetically.  _'No family at all?  I wonder what happened to them…'_

"I used to live in a village of youkai exterminators, but demons attacked our village one day…I was the only survivor," Sango said, saving Kagome from having to ask the question herself.

Before Kagome could say anything in response, Miroku sat up almost too-quickly, making Kagome jump back a few paces.

"You're having this discussion again, Sango?" the monk noticed Kagome. "And who is this lovely new guest?"

"Her name is Kagome," Sango glared at Miroku. "And don't even _think_ about asking her-"

Too late.  The second Miroku had seen Kagome, he was up on his feet and approaching her.  Once he got near enough to her, he asked her a question that made both the girls want to slap him until he was unconscious again.

"Will you bear my child?" Miroku asked eagerly.

"You start fast, don't you?" Kagome groaned.

"It's a question I ask all beautiful ladies!"

Kagome suddenly noticed Sango, who was approaching and oblivious Miroku from behind, with a huge bone boomerang at least 5-feet tall.  Sango put a finger to her lip, signaling for Kagome not to say anything, and Kagome had to put a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from bursting out laughing.

"Are you feeling alright, Kagome?  You can answer my question later if you want…" Miroku said, seeing Kagome's red face.

"I'm fine, I just thought I had to sneeze for a second there," Kagome said, regaining her composure. "And I'll answer your question right now!  NO, I won't bear your child, you dirty lech!"

"I'll get rid of the pest for you, Kagome!" Sango exclaimed, suddenly.  She whacked Miroku in the head with her boomerang, almost knocking him out again.  Kagome wondered how Sango could even hold such a big weapon.

"Ha!" Sango grinned down at Miroku triumphantly. "It served you right, for asking a question like that!"

"Ah, but it was worth it." Miroku said, rubbing the developing lump on his head.

"You have no courtesy," Sango sighed.

A small, two-tailed cat youkai suddenly appeared from behind Sango, meowing curiously at Kagome.

"Kawaii!" Kagome laughed, reaching out to touch the cat youkai.

"Yes," Sango smiled. "Her name is Kirara."

Kirara meowed happily, and nuzzled against Kagome's leg.

"By the way, houshi-sama," Sango said to Miroku warningly, "If you do or say anything else lecherous while Kagome is here, I'll kick you out of my house and give you a much bigger lump than the one you have right now…"

"Now that I think about it," Miroku's brows knitted slightly as though he were trying to remember something. "I don't think I've ever asked you to bear my child, Sango."

"And that's a bad thing?" Sango asked, but for some reason, she started to blush a little.

"But would you do it if I asked you?" questioned Miroku, suddenly growing a bit more serious.

"I-I…well…um…" Sango stuttered, her face growing redder by the second. 

"I'll ask you then," Miroku said quickly. "Will you bear my child, Sango?"

"H-houshi-sama…" Sango's face was as red as a tomato now.

Meanwhile, Kagome, who was watching all of this, decided it would only be polite to leave the two alone. _'Maybe Sango will actually agree to bear his child, but she's too embarrassed to say it while I'm here!  I should visit again another time…' _she thought to herself.  And so, not wanting to ruin the moment, Kagome crept silently out of the house.

Upon reaching the sidewalk again, Kagome wondered whom she should visit next.  Miroku and Sesshoumaru lived in the houses next door to Sango's house; so the only house left to visit on the street was the humongous, dark brown one near Miroku's house.  The house reminded Kagome of one of those haunted mansions she'd read about in books…except for the fact that it didn't look particularly old.

Walking closer to the house, Kagome suddenly found herself enveloped in a thick, purple mist.  Stumbling through the miasma, Kagome was beginning to wish she were wearing one of those gas masks she had seen on the floor of Sango's house.  Not only did the mist make her dizzy, but it also made breathing more difficult.  She coughed hoarsely, hoping she'd find the door to the house soon. _'How on earth could I get lost in someone's front yard?' _Kagome wondered. 

At last, Kagome walked into a hard object…she had found the door.  She knocked hard, hoping whoever answered the door would let her inside the house, and away from the suffocating miasma.  

While waiting for someone to open the door, Kagome examined the large house, in a vain attempt to get her mind off of the terrible-smelling mist.  The "house," Kagome noticed, looked more similar to a castle.  Although Kagome couldn't see anything very clearly through the mist, she thought she could see a large courtyard behind the house, surrounded by various towers.  All together, the whole atmosphere seemed very foreboding. The sky was dark, and even the castle itself seemed gloomy and unwelcoming.  Kagome felt a chill go down her spine. _'I wouldn't be surprised if this place is haunted,' _she thought gloomily.

Sure enough, the shoji screen door slid open, revealing a small girl that fit the perfect definition of a ghost.  She had white hair with white flowers in it, wore a white kimono, and had pale white skin.  She had large, blank looking eyes, and carried a round mirror in her hands.

Kagome let out a small shriek and jumped back, tripping over her own feet.  She landed on the cold, hard ground, and shakily stood up again, rubbing her sore backside. 

"I knew this place was haunted!" Kagome squeaked.  The girl just blinked at her expressionlessly, which made Kagome let out another shriek. 

It took Kagome several minutes to calm down.  She would've run away a long time ago, but the mist was so heavy that she wouldn't possibly be able to find her way back.  After taking a long, deep breath, Kagome opened her mouth to speak.

"Are you a ghost?" Kagome asked, partially afraid to hear the girl's response.

"No," the girl replied in a whispery, monotonous voice, making Kagome wonder if maybe she was a zombie instead.  Kagome could tell that she wouldn't be able to make a good conversation with the creepy girl.  But just as Kagome was about to introduce herself, regardless of the girl's response, she heard voices coming from inside the house.

"Damnit, Kagura!  Did you steal my eyeshadow again?!" demanded a restrained, yet fierce man's voice.

 "Heh…your lipstick too, Naraku…" replied a smug woman's voice.

"I don't wear LIPSTICK, you worthless girl!" 

"Could've fooled me," muttered the feminine voice, just loud enough for anyone standing nearby to hear.

Both voices stopped speaking suddenly, and there was a choking noise, followed by a sickening thud a couple minutes later.  Kagome heard someone gasping for breath, and began to wonder if she should call the police (not that she even had access to a phone at the moment).  _'What have I gotten myself into?' _Kagome gulped.

The frightened schoolgirl was just about to ask the white-haired girl at the door what was going on, when she noticed that the girl had turned and was starting to walk into the house towards the source of the noise.  

"What is it, Kanna?" asked the cold, male voice.

The response?  Utter silence.  Kagome wondered vaguely if the white-haired girl could communicate telepathically, seeing as she didn't speak.  

"I see," said the male voice, as if he had somehow understood the silence. "So we have…a guest, do we?"

Kagome heard the man growl slightly at the word "guest," making her feel most un-welcomed.  She swallowed hard, hearing footsteps coming closer.  A few seconds later, a man appeared in the doorway.

The man's appearance made Kagome step back in astonishment, again.  The tall man had waist-length, wavy black hair; a clump of the hair was tied up into a messy ponytail.  He had the same, pale white skin as the girl at the door, yet he looked even creepier (and much more intimidating) than the girl had looked.  His eyes, glowing red with malice, narrowed as he examined her.  Kagome noticed that he wore blue eye shadow that seemed to clash horribly with his eyes, yet she wouldn't dare to mention _that_.  Kagome shuddered at the sight of the man.  Human or demon?  She couldn't tell which.

"I don't want any of your damn cookies, girl!" the man spat.

"I'm not selling cookies," Kagome said, finding her voice.

Suddenly, the man took a step back and sent an infuriating glare in Kagome's direction, making her wonder what she'd done wrong now.

"It can't be…_Kikyou_?!" The man hissed. 

"Kikyou's dead.  I'm NOT her!" Kagome said, trying not to get angry, even though she hated being mistaken for other people.  She had a feeling that if she got angry and yelled, this man just might kill her.

"Hmm…" the man looked unconvinced. "Then who ARE you, and what business have you here, if it isn't for selling those stupid 'Girl Scout' cookies?"

"I CAME to introduce myself!" Kagome said, beginning to get frustrated at the man's coldness, and quickly forgetting that yelling could endanger her life.  "My name is Kagome Higurashi, and I just moved into Kikyou's house!"

"Who cares what your name is, or if you just moved here?!  All visitors are nuisances…and that is why I, Naraku, set up that miasma barrier in the front yard; any visitors would hopefully panic, lose their way, and suffocate to death," Naraku grinned malevolently.

"So YOU'RE Naraku!" Kagome exclaimed. "Inu-Yasha warned me about you!  Do you mean to say you set up that awful mist on purpose?!"

"Kukuku…" Naraku laughed softly. "Why yes…but it didn't seem to kill you, now did it?

"It ALMOST did…" Kagome muttered.

The mist seemed to have cleared up a little near the doorstep where Kagome was standing, but the acidic gas still lingered nearby, causing a sharp pain in Kagome's throat.  She supposed she had inhaled too much of the stuff.

Kagome suddenly remembered the ghostly-looking girl, and the choking noise that had come from within the house.

"Who was that girl with the mirror that answered the door just now?" Kagome wondered aloud.  She didn't really expect Naraku to answer the question, and jumped slightly when he did.

"That was Kanna…the eldest of my offspring," said Naraku.

"You have kids?!" Kagome gasped.  Naraku just didn't seem like the fatherly type.

"You may call them that, but they are actually detachments born from my own body," Naraku said, smirking at the horrified look on Kagome's face.

"You…make your own children?!" Kagome asked, astonished

"Foolish human…don't you know the power of the Shikon no-" Naraku stopped talking suddenly.

"Shikon no what?" a confused Kagome asked.

"Nevermind, wench!  It's nothing!  You heard nothing!  Now get out of my house unless you want to die a most painful death," Naraku said quickly.  _'He's obviously hiding something,' _Kagome thought.

"One more question," Kagome glared at Naraku suspiciously. "What was that choking sound I heard earlier?"

"Heh…that was none other than my daughter, Kagura," Naraku's mouth curved into an evil grin. "A rebellious one she is…but I discipline her often enough."

"I could report you to the police for child abuse, you know!" Kagome yelled; she had either forgotten, or was unaware that a demon could easily take out any mortal. 

"Do as you wish, girl.  Your authorities won't be able to lay a finger on me," Naraku said boredly, growing more impatient by the second. "Now LEAVE!"

"I'm not leaving until I see what damage you've done!" Kagome said stubbornly.  She attempted to run into the house, only to be pushed back outside again by Naraku, so forcefully that she almost lost her footing. 

"Oh, you have NO idea as to how much damage_ I've_ done," Naraku's eyes narrowed menacingly. "Tell me, Kagome…are you fond of bees?"

"No, I hate bees!" Kagome stated, surprised by the question.

"Kukuku…very good," said Naraku. "Then I'm sure you'll _love_ my saimyoushou…"

"Saimyoushou?" Kagome gulped.

A loud, buzzing noise suddenly filled the air, and before Kagome had a chance to run, she was swarmed by what seemed like hundreds of giant wasps that had appeared from behind Naraku.  She tried to fight them, but even she knew it was useless.  And so…she started to run.

"AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" a high-pitched scream could be heard, ringing throughout the neighborhood.  Various youkai were probably shrieking in pain at this very second, since, due to their ultra sensitive hearing, the scream was probably magnified at least ten times more than it would be in a human's ears.

Five painful stings later, Kagome heard someone yelling her name.  To her surprise (and relief), the saimyoushou were starting to disappear.

"Sankon Tetsu Sou!" yelled a voice, belonging to none other than Inu-Yasha.  The hanyou was carrying a giant, white sword that sliced mercilessly through the many insects.  

Seconds later, almost all the insects were dead, and the remaining few quickly dispersed.

"What've you gotten yourself into this time, Kagome?" Inu-Yasha scowled.

"Well EXCUSE me for trying to be friendly!" Kagome retorted, tenderly rubbing her swollen bee stings.

"Whatever, just get on my back before more of those insects come," Inu-Yasha muttered.

"What?" Kagome asked, wondering if she had imagined Inu-Yasha saying those words.

"Are you deaf?!" Inu-Yasha practically exploded. "I said GET ON MY BACK, dammit!  You can't get outta here without any help!  You'll be suffocated by the gas, you idiot!"

Suddenly remembering her promise to herself, to act nicer towards Inu-Yasha, Kagome climbed onto his back without arguing any further.  

"'Bout time you listened to me," Inu-Yasha snorted, taking off through the miasma.

Luckily for both of them, it didn't take Inu-Yasha very long to find his way out of the purplish haze.  He landed in front of Kagome's house a few minutes later, with a rude, "Now, get off my back!" 

"Thanks a lot, Inu-Yasha!  So you DO have a good side to you after all!" Kagome said, grateful that she was surrounded by fresh air once again.

"Feh!  I came just 'cause I knew you were too stupid to defend yourself!" Inu-Yasha scoffed. "But what did that bastard Naraku try to do to you, anyway?"

 "I think I asked him too many questions," Kagome said. "He got all mad, and sent his wasps after me!  Talk about unfriendly…he was downright evil!" 

"What questions did you ask him?" Inu-Yasha asked, looking slightly amused.

"Well I asked him how he could possibly make his own kids, and then he started to act strange," Kagome said, straining to remember what Naraku had said. "He told me he used the power of the Shikon no…something.  Then he stopped talking in the middle of a sentence, and told me not to ask about it anymore!  It's like he was hiding something…"

"The Shikon no Tama," Inu-Yasha said gravely.  "It's the sacred jewel that Kikyou possessed."

"_Kikyou_ possessed it?" Kagome asked, wide-eyed. "And since Naraku said that _he_ was using it, could that mean…?"

"Naraku is Kikyou's murderer!" Inu-Yasha said angrily. "Why didn't I see it before?!  Kikyou wasn't murdered because her murderer wanted to gain access to the well!  Naraku murdered her because he wanted the Shikon jewel!"

"But…why?!" Kagome gasped, horrified.

"The Shikon no Tama has such great power, that it can grant any one wish.  The jewel was the desire of many youkai back in the Sengoku Jidai; and so it was given to a powerful priestess, to keep guard over…and that priestess was Kikyou.  Naraku obviously wanted the jewel for himself, so he stole the jewel from Kikyou and killed her," Inu-Yasha's teeth were gritted in anger. "I'll kill that bastard if it's the last thing I do!" 

 "You aren't going over there right now, are you?" Kagome asked cautiously.

"Like hell I'd risk my neck goin' there right now!" Inu-Yasha growled. "I'll have to take it slow, as much as I hate the idea of doing that…Naraku's stronger than he looks.  Especially since he has the Shikon no Tama now."

"What's he planning to do with the jewel, anyway?" Kagome wondered.

"No idea…" Inu-Yasha replied. "But if I were him, I'd use it to become full demon…"

"You mean Naraku's a half demon?" 

"Yeah.  He's probably taking his own sweet time, lusting over the jewel though.  As long as he doesn't know we're on to him, he probably won't make his wish for a while.  And when he least expects it, I'll give him the most painful death he could ever imagine!" Inu-Yasha snarled. "I'll avenge your death, Kikyou!  Naraku'll pay for what he did to you!"

Inu-Yasha let out a small cry of frustration, jumped swiftly onto the roof of his house, into his backyard, and out of sight.

Knowing that Inu-Yasha probably wouldn't come out of his back yard for a while, Kagome walked back into her own house to tend to her bee stings.  As she did this, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealously towards Kikyou.

A/N: In case you're wondering, I'm NOT going to revive Kikyou. *ignores the outraged cries from Kikyou fans* Truth is, Kikyou's my least favorite character. She should've stayed dead in the series, instead of coming back to life all vengeful and deranged…but that's just my opinion.  So please don't flame me if you're a Kikyou fan!  Also, Shippou WILL be in this fic…I just chose to add him in later on, since he isn't really going to add much to the plot.   Kohaku, however, is presumably dead at the moment.  I haven't decided if I want to revive him or not. ;) And Myouga…doesn't exist in this fic.  If you have suggestions about any characters other than these that you want revived, please tell me in your reviews!   Ja ne!

~Akai Yuki


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